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Two weeks with Plum & portobello mushrooms sliders

Everything is brighter, the days are longer, the grass is growing and daffodils are popping up everywhere in our yard. This is our first spring in this house and we have no idea what to expect in our yard. It's kind of fun and a little funny because flowers are showing up in the oddest places. I have no complaints.

A few weeks ago I was done, finished with winter. I needed to get out of dodge and the one place that was calling my name was the Pacific Northwest. When we lived in Seattle and I was feeling a little stir crazy and homesick, I would head down to Pike Place Market and have lunch at a little spot overlooking the water. At my moment of stir craziness this winter, I wanted to head down to the market and order a big bowl of soup from that "sunny" little spot. Unfortunately, that wasn't happening, so instead I went for a run to clear my head and then I spent the next two weeks cooking from the cookbook, Plum, by Makini Howell who owns the Plum Bistro in Seattle. It was like a little slice of vegan food directly from Seattle, which cheered me up until the daffodils finally arrive.

Almost every night we made something new. Cauliflower Bisque with fennel, charred brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes, seitan steaks, strawberry crepes with custard, jerk tofu and roasted yam sliders, bbq oyster mushroom sliders, smashed purple potatoes with parsley, chai-spiced yam bruschetta with crunchy kale. Some items, like the pickled cabbage and onions for the sliders and the seitan steaks had to marinade overnight but for the most part everything was so easy to make — vegan food from our kitchen had never tasted so good.

Inspired by the sliders from Plum, we decided to make our own. With baby portobello mushrooms in our fridge and onions and yams on hand, we made a slider that was so simple — portobello mushroom, roasted yam and fried onions sliders.

Prepare the yams and portobello mushrooms
Using 1T of oil, brush the oil on the yams and mushrooms. Place the yams in a roasting pan and roast until tender about 20-30 min.

About 10 min into roasting the yams, add the portobello mushrooms to the same roasting pan. If the mushrooms can't fit on the same pan simply add them to another pan. Roast the portobello mushrooms until tender about 10-15 min.

While roasting the yams and mushrooms prepare the fried onions.
In a pan heat 2T oil over medium-high heat until hot.
When the oil is ready, add the sliced onions and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the onions are tender, stirring frequently.

When the yams and mushrooms are finished, spread mayo on each half of the bun. Add a slice of yam and a mushroom and top with a generous amount of fried onions, add the top of the bun and serve.